Staff and Instructors

       Deborah Messinger-May - Deborah’s been dancing since age 4. She’s danced with the San Francisco Ballet Co. & the Bolshoi Ballet Co. from Russia when they performed in Portland. She toured extensively in jazz & tap variety shows & dinner theatre shows. She lived in Los Angeles for a couple of years & danced in TV commercials. She’s owned and operated Deborah Messinger School of Dance, first in Beaverton, OR and then in Gresham, OR for 36 years.  Her Gresham school now has 400 students & is well known for its many top awards at local & regional competitions. Since then, she has opened up two other booming studios.  Many of her students are now professional dancers & teachers. 

       Tara Marshall – Tara has studied dance under Deborah for 27 years– she’s almost her daughter by this time!.  She’s the studio manager & head instructor at DMSD. She’s taught many girls who have gone on to be teachers or professional dancers themselves.  Also, she has won numerous choreography awards in local & regional dance competitions.  She is also head of our performing groups.  She was the leader of a group of our students who, in 1999, we were invited to perform at the World Trade Expo. In Korea.. Students of all ages love “Miss Tara”!!!

Teaches at: Washougal, Stevenson, Gresham and Stevenson Locations 

       Kayla Schwindt – Kayla has studied at DMSD in all the dance forms since she was 4 years. old and she was also a cheerleader throughout high school. She’s graduated from Portland State University & is now working  as an educational assistant for the Centennial School District. She also works at SUN School (an after school program) in the Centennial School District. Miss Kayla loves the little ones & it’s obvious in her caring approach.  

Teaches at: Gresham Location 

       Kendra Simon- Kendra is a very “multi-talented” person!  Dance is her main focus but she also sings in a rock band, she’s a kick-boxer & a martial artist.  She’s also studied a lot of theater. She’s been teaching dance for about 12 years but is new to us this summer. She also has experience in dance-studio management.  Kendra brings a fresh & exciting amount of experience to all of her classes. When you take her class, we’re sure you’ll agree!

       Linda Mae Dennis - Linda was a professional tap dancer for many years. She now teaches Scottish Country Dancing in Portland, Vancouver, and at our studio in Stevenson, and Celtic Tap in Portland and Vancouver. Visit her personal website for more information about her:

http://lmd.imaginationprocessing.com/ballroom.html. 

Teaches at: Stevenson Location 

Dominic Fossati- has been plaing the electric guitar for 15+ yrs.  He ahs studied with professional studio musicians all over the western United States. Dominic has played lead & rhythm guitar for several Portland & Oregon bands over the past 10 yrs. & has a strong background in rock guitar.  He also has experience in the recording studio.  Although he prefers to play his electric guitar, you can often find him all around tgown practicing on his acoustic any chance he can get.  Dominic is a dedicated musician with an eye for detail & extreme patience with his students.  His other hobies include drawing, reading, and creating.

Cheryl Cranston for Zumba at DMSD 

Sharron Stanley- Studied Tap, Jazz, Ballet, and Lyrical jazz from childhood through high school w/Vikki Mills and at the Footwork Dance Studio. She performed swing & line dancing for a couple of years. Also she danced on the Sunset High school dance team, both hip hop and lyrical jazz. Participated in multiple theatre productions including tap, jazz, hip hop, and lyrical.  Taught dance classes as electives for 3 years including some for the theatre classes and after school productions. Included, hip hop, jazz, tap, lyrical, swing, and line dancing.

Teaches at: Washougal and Stevenson Locations